Category: Personal Musings

The gift (and curse) of being together amid COVID-19 Note: Hi, it's been a while. This is a little (a lot) more personal than my usual podcast entry. I've been reflecting on how work and home life has been affected by the outbreak and thought I'd put it down in words. I should probably... Continue Reading →

It's a simple idea with profound effects. Early in November, I spent a weekend sitting on a heap of duvets and fluffy pillows, shrouded in bedsheets held up by bamboo poles and clothes pegs. Outside the structure stood a sign that read: "Need a break from humans? Breathe easy in our social anxiety-free blanket... Continue Reading →

The term “phubbing” needs to die. It’s a portmanteau of the words “phone” and “snubbing”, used to describe the act of blatantly ignoring a person you’re physically with in favour of your mobile phone. “Phubbing” sounds kind of dopey, and that to me is where the danger lies. While terms like “mansplaining”(man + explaining)... Continue Reading →

Quiet people used to get a bad rep, but no longer. The rise of social media and digitally mediated communication tools has brought introversion to the fore. What once was a character flaw is now a celebrated personality trait, a shift perhaps propelled by introverts themselves finally emboldened by these new faceless platforms to speak up.... Continue Reading →

Instagram is one of the greatest contributors to my yoga anxiety. Yogini influencers deal heavy blows to my self-esteem (yes, we already know I have issues). I generally avoid social media to protect my mental health. While a lot of research suggests that social media can be harmful, there are also studies that are more... Continue Reading →

Gender binarism probably wasn't on the renowned Japanese photographer's mind when he snapped this shot. But what I found most striking about it was the fuzziness of traditional gender constructs. https://www.instagram.com/p/BBmnvRrt9MQ/ Kubota, Hiroji. Boy & Girl in front of Mandalay Hill. Myanmar (Burma), 1978. I love this photograph for two reasons. First, the title of... Continue Reading →

"Show me that gorgeous smile." Look, I know I'm not hideous. But as a woman who is neither particularly handsome nor well put-together, I don't get a lot of remarks on my physical appearance (save for the daily affirmation I get from my eternally supportive team at work, God bless them and their compulsions to... Continue Reading →

Every year, Nat receives countless well wishes on his birthday, March 23. That is, up until 2015, when his personal milestone was eclipsed by a national tragedy - the death of a founding father. "Why did Lee Kuan Yew have to die on my birthday?" The question is rhetorical, of course, and I don't know... Continue Reading →

"Babe help I fucked up" reads a little box that pops up at the bottom right corner of my desktop screen. It's late morning and the office is quiet. I open the Telegram message. "I fucked up so bad." What happened babe??? "I cheated." Are you okay?? "I cheated. He found out." "I don't know what... Continue Reading →